Cleo McKinley

Pronouns: she/her

Instagram: @cursttrap

I am a Glasgow-based writer/director/editor/performer, mostly focused on artist film. My work is experimental and usually autobiographical, often utilising found-footage and rarely bound by narrative. My shooting technique could be described as “guerilla”, and I’m far more interested in capturing something exciting and soulful, than something technically impressive. I love horror, and comedy, and find that utilising aspects of both genres in a more unusual framework is usually, at the very least, interesting. I am trans/non-binary, and as hard as I try to escape it, most of my work ends up being about that. Art, sex, and psychomagic. Mwah! X

July Films (experimental art project, director/writer/editor, 2024)

Pregnant With My Future Self (short film, director/writer/editor/actor, 2024)

Girlfriend (experimental film, director/writer/editor, 2024)

Climbing Trees (short film, director/writer/editor/actor, 2020)

Leader of Down: “Serial Killjoy” (music video, director/editor/cinematographer, 2019)

Various commercial work for Baylis Vauxhall (commercials and instructional videos, director/editor/cinematographer/graphics, 2018-2020)

Hector the Rector (music video, director/editor/animator/art director, 2018)

The Kick Inside (short film, art director, 2016)

EX (short film, director/writer/editor, 2016)